Research firms say that what looked like a good year for computers and chips has fizzled. IHS iSuppli says global chip shipments are set to fall by 0.1 percent this year. That’s down from a previous forecast for growth of ...

August 9, 2012Comments Off on US forecasters raise Atlantic hurricane outlook

U.S. forecasters are raising their estimate of potential storms in the remainder of the Atlantic hurricane season, which enters its peak period this month. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its updated forecast Thursday. Forecasters say wind patterns conducive ...

The faltering U.S. job market has prompted economists to take a much dimmer view of the country’s growth prospects. That’s a shift from just a few weeks ago, when many were upgrading their forecasts. Friday’s surprisingly bleak jobs report for ...

May 21, 2012Comments Off on Economists upbeat about job growth, housing

A new survey shows economists are growing slightly more optimistic about recovery in the job and housing markets but expect other pillars of the economy to remain weak. The National Association for Business Economists says in a report issued Monday ...

May 15, 2012Comments Off on Cheaper gas not enough to boost summer driving

Cheaper gas won’t be enough to get many more Americans on the road this summer. They’re still too worried about their jobs and the economy. Economists and tourism experts are expecting only a small uptick in summer travelers. Gas prices ...

May 8, 2012Comments Off on Government cuts summer gasoline price forecast

The government says gasoline will be cheaper this summer than previously expected thanks to a drop in the price of oil. The Energy Department says drivers should pay an average of $3.79 per gallon at the pump from April through ...

May 4, 2012Comments Off on Estee Lauder 3Q profit rises on US strength

Beauty products company Estee Lauder Cos. said Friday that its third-quarter profit rose 5 percent, led by strong results in the U.S. and better skin care sales. The company, which makes namesake cosmetics and skin care as well as products ...

The government’s retirement benefits programs will run out of money three years earlier than previously thought, its trustees said on Monday, increasing the pressure on lawmakers to reform the federal safety net for millions of Americans. The trustees said the ...